The following interview is part of our ongoing Expert Series that asks C-level professionals, team presidents, league executives, athletic directors and other sports influencers about their latest thoughts and insights on new technologies impacting the sports industry.
Name: Andrew McShea
Company: Brisbane Heat/Queensland Cricket
Position: General Manager/General Manager (Marketing, Commercial)
Andrew McShea is the General Manager of the Brisbane Heat, a professional cricket club competing in Australia’s T20 Big Bash League. Additionally, he is the General Manager (Commercial/Marketing) of Queensland Cricket as well.
He has overseen the Heat’s marketing, digital and communication strategy from the Big Bash League’s conception over six years ago to today where it stands as one of international cricket’s premier T20 competitions. A Brisbane native, McShea studied at the Queensland University of Technology.
1) What utilization of technology in professional sports has recently blown you away and why?
I thought Fox Sports Australia’s app that was developed in conjunction with the Bathurst V8 race last year was impressive. The app used augmented reality to bring national newspaper advertising to life and had real-time tracking of the race via augmented reality. The desktop game was really cool too.
2) If money were no object, what technology would you build or buy to help you do your job better?
If money was no option, I’d like to use augmented reality for all fans attending our matches, pre, during and post, enabling easy access to stats, insights and real-time information. The opportunity to do some really cool half time entertainment using AR/VR would be amazing.
3) As a sports fan, what sports-related service, app, product, etc., could you not live without and why?
The advent of social media has made consuming news and engaging with teams and clubs so easy, and purely from a fans perspective, Twitter would be the number one resource to get access to breaking news and scores. If you know a story is breaking or are chasing instant access to a sports result, Twitter will generally be the platform where you can find it first as fans know clubs, leagues and media outlets will be using it for live coverage.
4) If you had to project 20 years into the future, how will most cricket fans watch their favorite sports teams?
A few sports leagues have begun broadcasting live games in virtual reality, but such is a rate that technology is advancing this will become more common in the coming years. In 10-plus years, it is fair to say VR technology will be much more accessible to the average fan, allowing leagues and clubs to offer virtual seats at their games and stadiums. This has the opportunity to completely change the broadcasting and fan engagement landscape.
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5) The Heat are one of the more tech-savvy teams within the Big Bash League. Where does that forward-thinking stem from and why is there a priority placed on being at the forefront of technological innovation? How is the Brisbane Heat leveraging various forms of technology to enhance the fan experience?
We have always seen ourselves as an entertainment brand first and foremost designed to engage new audiences. With ever-changing expectations from our target audience to stay relevant and engaging, we need to constantly be investing in innovation, specifically in digital. We don’t see digital innovation as a destination that once we reach a point we can pat ourselves on the back and stop, but rather it is the way we have to continue to act.
6) Give us your bold prediction about a form of technology that will be integral to the sport of cricket and/or the Big Bash League over the next 12 months and why?
I believe virtual reality will be used within 12 months as a genuine high-performance simulator for elite cricketers.